Multi-purpose tool



O. PETERSQN MULTI-PURPOSE TOOL Filed Nov. 7. 1958 July 19, 1960 \MN NN MM N .QQ

United States Patent 2,945,301 Patented July 19, 1960 hice MULTI-PURPOSE TOOL Oscar Peterson, Dent, I Filed Nov. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 772,490 1 Claim. (Cl. 33-1) This invention Irelates to a multi-purpose bladed tool for performing a number of functions commonly necessary during the course of work by a skilled craftsman.

An object of my invention is to provide a new and improved multi-purpose tool of simple and inexpensive construction and operation and which is capable of performing a number of different functions.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel multi-purpose tool wherein the several parts thereof are ingeniously constructed and related to each other in such a manner as to facilitate an accomplishment 'of a multiplicity of functions with only a minimum of parts. A further object of my invention is the provision of a novel and improved multi-purpose tool which may be used as a divider, a screw driver, a caliper rule, a grade meter, a bevel square, a level, a plumb, a rule, and a square. v

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer tothe same or similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view of one side of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation view of the other side of the invention and showing the blade,` partly broken away, in a different position than that shown in Fig. v1; and p' Fig. 3 is a detail section View taken on a plane as indicated substantially at A3--3 in Fig. 1.

One form of the present invention is shown in the drawings and is described herein.

The multi-purpose tool is indicated in general by numeral 10 and includes a body member 11 which is constructed of a piece of rather heavy gauge sheet metal which is folded or bent back upon itself along one side 12 so as to dene a blade-receiving slot 13 which is open at the upper side of the body member and which is closed at the lower side 12 of the body member. The edge portions 14 and 15 of the body member are bent outwardly at the upper side to define a pair of anges disposed at right angles to the main portion of the body member so as to define surface areas which may engage a workpiece so as to orient the body member 11 in a position normal to the workpiece edge. The surfaces of the edge portions or flanges 14 and 15 are disposed parallel to the closed side 12 of the body member.

A screwdriver blade 16, having a screw-engaging edge 17, is swingably mounted on the body member 11 by means of a pivot-forming rivet 18 which projects through only one thickness of the body member 11 and does not project into the blade-receiving slot 13.

A measuring and straight edge blade 19 has parallel inner and outer edges 20 and 21 and also has an outer end portion 22 which is tapered to a point 23 to cooperate with the tapered and pointed outer end portion 24 of the body member 11 for use as a divider. The inner end portion 25 of blade 19 projects into the blade-receiving slot 13 adjacent the inner end 26 of the body member 11. The inner end portion Z of blade 19 has an aperture or direction of the blade. The bolt has a square head 31 bearing against the outer surface of body member 11 and a thumb nut 32 is secured on the other end of bolt 30 and also in engagement with the other outer surface of the body member 11. The thumb nut 32 has an operating lever 33 affixed thereto to facilitate ready and easy manual turning of the nut 32.

The inner end portion 26 of body member 11 is notched as at 34' through the end of the body member and through the closed side 12 ythereof to dene a shoulder surface 36.

The inner end portion 25 of the blade 19 also has a notch formed therein to define yan abutment surface 37 which may be disposed in engagement with the shoulder surface 36 so as to hold the blade 19 at right angles with respect to the sides of the body member 11. The elongated or oversized aperture 27 in the blade 19 permits limited longitudinal shifting of the blade with respect to the pivot so as to move the abutment surface 37 out of engagement with the shoulder surface 36 and the blade 19 will therebybe permitted to swing to positions wherein obtuse angles are deined with respect to the body member.

The inner end edge 38 of the blade 19 is curved to per-* mit the blade 19 to be swung into parallel relation with respect to the sides of the body member 11 and so as to permit the outer edge 21 to be disposed in precise alignment with the side 12 of the body member. It will be noted here that the opposite edge portions of the blade 19 are provided with distance-indicating indicia 39 so as to be adapted for use in measuring distances. One side of theblade 19 is also provided with arcuately spaced angle markers lor indicia 40 which, when extending along the upper side of the body member, indicate that the blade 19 is disposed at a certain angle with respect to the body member.

A caliper-mounting bar 41 lies against the outer surface of the body member at one side thereof and also lies against the lower surface 15a of flange 15 to be guided by the surfaces for linear movement in a direction parallel to the sides of the body member 11. The bar 41 has a caliper head 42 formed integrally thereof which is adapted to be spaced from the inner end edge 26a of the body member for use as a caliper. It will be noted that the bar 41 is also guided by one side of the bolt head 31 so as to be prevented from moving in a direction transversely of `the bar. A bar holder 43 is secured as by screws 44 to body member 11 and the holder 43 mary be constructed of sheet metal to maintain the bar 41 in guiding relationship with the outer surface of the body member and the lower surface 15a of flange 15. l

A level gauge 45 is secured to the other outer surface of body member 1v1 as by screws 46 and in the proper position for indicating a level condition when either the upper ror lower sides of the body member 11 are positioned in level condition.

It will be understood that when the blade 19 is disposed at right angles to the body member, with the surfaces 36 and 37 in engagement with each other, the tool 10 may be used as a square or may be employed as a plumb when the outer edge 21 bears against an upright surface for checking the vertical orientation of such a surface. The blade may be swung to any of a plurality of angle positions with respect to the body member, Whereupon, the tool 10 may be used as a bevel square. When the blade is disposed at an acute angle with the body member 11, the tool can be employed as a divider, or may be used in connection with the level gauge 45 for use as a grade meter to check the inclination of roof rafters or the like. A

' When the blade is swung completely into the slot 13, the 's'crew driver 16 may be swung outwardly to function as a' screw driver. When the blade 19 is disposed within the slot 13, the caliper head may be extended out from the' body member and used to'determine 'diameter of an object or the like. It should further be noted that because of the construction of the present invention, certain combinative functions are obtainable. For instance, the blade may be positioned'at right angles to the body member and held in this position by the surfaces 36 and 37. If a bracket or framing for mounting a fixture in horizon tal position and suspended below an inclined support is to be set up, the outer edge 21 will be positioned in plumb relationship by the indication produced by the level gauge 45 andrvertical distances may be measured along the outer edge 21 of the blade. While the measurements are being taken, the horizontal measurements may be simultaneously taken by extending the caliper bar outwardly from Itheend of the body member 11 so that simultaneously, the vertical and horizontal distances can be obtained for creating a fixture-mounting bracket attachable in suspended relationship from an inclined support.

It should be also noted in Fig, 2 that when the blade is oriented in parallel relation with the body member, the side 12 and edge 21 may be employed as an elongate continuous straight edge.

It will, of course, be understood that various 'changes may be made in the form, detail, arrangement and proportion of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention which consists of the matter described herein fand set forth in the appended claim.

What l claim is: Y

A multi-purpose tool comprising a sheet metal body member` bent back upon itself to dene a blade-receiving slot, said body member having an open side and a closed side and having out-turned anges at said open side and in a plane lying normal to the blade-receiving slot and said body member also having a notch through one endand intersecting the closed side to dene a shoulder surface, a measuring and straight edge blade extending at right angles to the sides of the body member and having an apertured inner end extending into the slot, a pivot bolt on the body member adjacent the notch therein and eX- tending through the aperture in the inner end of the blade, said aperture and pivot bolt being of such relative size as to allow limited longitudinal movement of the blade, the inner end of the blade having a rounded end edge with a notch therein defining an abutment surface engaging the shoulder surface of the body member and holding the blade at right angles with respect to the sides of the body member, the longitudinal shifting of the blade permitting disengagement of said abutment and shoulder surfaces to permit swinging of the blade into parallel relation with the sides of the body member, the spacings between the outer edge of the blade and the pivot bolt and between the closed side of the body and the pivot bolt being equal to facilitate alignment of said outer edge with the closed side, the inner end of the blade having' a curvature to permit alignment of the outer edge of the blade with said closed side of the body member, to thereby define a continuousl straight edge along the blade and body member the pivot bolt having a thumb nut on one end thereof to` clamp the body member against .the blade and thereby hold the blade in a predetermined position, the pivot bolt having a head with a ilat surface spaced from one of the flanges, an elongated bar lying against the outer surface of the body member and disposed between the at surface of the bolt head and Vthe lower surface of the adjacent flange and being guided in longitudinal reciprocating movement thereby, said bar having a caliper head on the end thereof and disposed in spaced and opposed relation with one end of the body member, means retaining the bar against the body member, and the outer ends of the blade and body member beingvtapered to points to permit the tool to be used as a divider. l

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 439,458 Woodru Oct. 2S, 1890 861,011 Ahlberg July 23, 1907 1,566,881 Kerr Dec. 22, 1925 2,446,067 Thomas July 27, 1948 

